The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1887-03-16
1l4E kgxl MAaTaA wssA.aoToN
she Was Eatll6sd q sisaatiaes..=leI Cur.

/ she Was fsieifhst 70 Stoufness=& Cur
fssin Beeture-lk sieod Wife,
The private letters of the time. and 4
description here and 81 action there
taken together are the only materials for
making up the real Martha Washington
of the latter part 81 the hst centuEYs Az
accounts agree that she was pader mid-
die size. and that, though v'gli formed IN
Ter early years, she was inclined b stout
ness after her marriage. don think
her pictures rs engraved upon tile new
one dollar silver certificates, give tho
proper idea of her. The bust there dis
played evidently represents a very tall
woman; and Mr. Andrews, the artist, IN
his painting of afaFfln4 Washington.
which hangs as u companion piece to
Stewart s portTait OF Gen. Washington M
the East room of the White House, caI-
ries out the same idea, The truth seems
to be that she was. IN her latter days.
short and diimpys rather than tall and
symmetrieally shaped. %
A queen is always beautiful. no matter
what be her face and figure, and no IlFesi-
dent 5 wife was ever anything else IN The
eyes of the throng that went 70. her reeeps
tons The mild expressions of the tinie
Concerning Martha Washington's stout
ness must be multiplied naiiy times to
approximate the reality. and short, stout
women are seldom disnified. George
Washington was six feet two. and rather
thin than fat. The contrast between the
sizes of the husband and wife must have
been very striking, and il is said that
Lady Martha wns wont to attract her
liege lords attention by seizing Linn by
the button of his eoat, and hooking up
into his face.
Number five is rs.t..er i large shoe for q
lady under middle height; still, one Of
Washington's orders to London for his
wife's supplies, given shortly after he was
married. includes 4 pair of blnck and q.
pair of white satin shoes OF the smallest
fves, and her gloves We're probably of tho
same generous proportions. Martha
Washington had nose inclined to
the Roman. Her hair was chest
nut brown, and her eyes were ~
dark hazel. A sllhoutte made of her
shortly before her death by her grand
daughter, Nellie Clstis. represents her
with n short, fat neck and an imnseFIso
cap. It is said that she had very. sweet
voice, which flowed gently IN ordinary
conversation, but which became quicker
when she grew excited. Miss Bfenery
the authoress, tells story of stranger
who, being entertained at Mount Vernon,
occupied bedroom adjoining that of tho
general and his wife. The partition be-
tween the rooms WAS thin, and tho visitor
plainly heard Lady Washington giving
the general curtain lecture. Martha
Washington brought the money into the
family and doubt not she sometimes
asked the general the same question That
was thrown at him by Davy Burns, the
old Scotch farmer. who owned large
part of the land upon which our national
capital is built. This old man grew
angry at Washington about some real e;-
tate transaction, and spoke of him TO his
face as an upstart, asking him whore hs
would have been had he not had the
good fortune to marry the rich Widow
Custis,
Martha Washington was, however, a
good wife. There is ample evidence that
her whole being was wrapped mp in that
of her husband, and it Is equally certain
that George Washing ton dcafly loved her.
Her grandson Parke Gustis says that
Gen. Washington wore miniature porz
trnit Of her upon his breast during the
whole of his married life. he liked TO
have her with him whenever possible.
and, outside of the curtain lecture nbovo
spoken of. find no evidence that their
matrimonial relations were anything hut
the most loNing. G.. Carpenter In
| C,osInoI,oIifaD